Dave Bloustien navigates the single life

By Honey B

Comedian Dave Bloustein’s life could make it onto the small screen as a family comedy sitcom.It all started here in Adelaide with Dave and his high school sweetheart and now Bloustein is back to dish the dirt on what has happened in-between with his latest show – The Tinder Profile of Dorian Gray.“This show is really about my life experiences in the last couple of years,’’ Bloustein says.“I examine different kinds of relationships, dating, STD scares, ageing, children and everything in-between.“There’s a great element of truth to this show and I’ve really been enjoying getting into the storytelling nature of the piece.’’As the former local relaxed at a Norwood Parade cafe in the sun he started to unravel the details of his comic life and the twists and turns of his show.“There is a lot of back-story in this performance and it starts with my former partner and I. We started dating back in high school, where you get drunk, kiss someone and the next thing you know you’ve been together for 20 years.“That’s a wonderful way to go about things, but I am discovering there is a different way since my partner and I split up 18 months ago.“But we are best friends so it was incredibly amicable, so much so that for a long time we kept living together.“In fact, we didn’t have much cash so we were actually sharing a bed after we had broken up.’’Bloustein admits that they even had a whacky neighbour when he was living with his partner and their two girls.“Oh my life could totally be a sitcom. We had the whacky Cuban neighbour upstairs and he used to have these big parties with people from all over Central America with bands and lots of drums and guitars.“He would come downstairs talking in this strong Cuban accent and it was just really fun.’’Bloustein says his daughters are also perfect sitcom children.“I have a baby who won’t stop laughing and she is a bit like the Olsen twins when they were on the TV show Full House.“My older daughter is seven and she is like this really dark Wednesday Adams kind of character.“Instead of putting a do not enter sign on her door, she put up crime scene tape that she found in some kid’s forensic lab kit.“I asked her if there had been a murder in there and she said she couldn’t talk about it because it was too horrible.“She’s seven and I feel like I’ve already broken her.’’The Sydney-sider says he is finally learning to be single again, but getting there is part of the fun of the show.“Living with my partner made it very difficult to date and when I finally did move I had to make sure I had a relationship with my kids.“But it was getting back into the dating, because I had never really dated anyone but my partner and those romantic evenings can go either way – they can be very romantic or very terrible.“So I’ve had ups and downs and a few scares along the way.’’Dave Bloustien in The Tinder Profile of Dorian Gray, Adelaide Fringe, Producers Warehouse, 253 Grenfell Street, February 28 to March 14, 6.20pm. Bookings: www.adelaidefringe.com.au or 1300 621 255